Tragedy strikes SUST as two students drown in Sylhet within three months

Two meritorious students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) have tragically drowned within a span of three months while visiting different tourist spots in Sylhet. Earlier this year on January 30, Mus-ab Amin, a student of the Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) department from the 2022-23 academic session, drowned while bathing in Sylhet's Lalakhal.

Before the university community could recover from that heartbreaking incident, Shanto Bonik, a 22-year-old student of the Petroleum and Mining Engineering department from the 2023-24 academic session, went missing yesterday around 4:30 PM. He, along with two friends, had gone for a bath in a waterbody near the India-Bangladesh border's No-Man's-Land at the Bichanakandi tourist spot. Shanto was swept away by the strong current and deep water. Local residents attempted a rescue operation using boats but were unsuccessful.

A diving team from the Fire Service and Civil Defence arrived at the scene around 7:00 PM. Following an extended search operation, Shanto's body was recovered at approximately 9:30 PM. Shanto hailed from the Lahiri Bazar area of Baliadangi Upazila in Thakurgaon.

University administration sources confirmed that both Mus-ab Amin and Shanto Bonik were residents of Syed Muztaba Ali Hall. While Mus-ab did not know how to swim, Shanto was reportedly a swimmer. The loss of two promising students within three months has cast a deep shadow of grief over their families, classmates, and teachers.

Expressing their condolences, several university teachers noted that the untimely demise of two potential future engineers is an irreparable loss for the university. They added that while death is inevitable, such unexpected losses are deeply tragic, urging students to exercise greater caution during such outings.

SUST Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A.M. Sarwaruddin Chowdhury expressed profound shock and sorrow over the tragic demise. He stated that the death of Shanto Bonik is an irreparable loss for the SUST family, describing him as a talented student with immense potential. The Vice-Chancellor prayed for the salvation of the departed soul and extended his deepest sympathies to the bereaved family, classmates, and well-wishers, while also urging students to remain vigilant to avoid such unwanted accidents.